My idea of a treehouse has always been a small, homely wooden structure perched on the top of the branches, not a friggin’ mini-mansion with a living room and fully-equipped kitchen.

The SA Institute of Architects (Saia) has bestowed Malan Vorster Architects an award for excellence for their “treehouse” creation, which is located at the Paarman Family Estate in Constantia, Cape Town, reports Business Insider SA.

Yes, Paarman as in Ina Paarman, of cooking sauces and spice fame.

The Saia judging panel absolutely adore this luxury tree house fantasy:

The architects have taken their cues from some of the master architects who have, throughout time and space, created some of the most iconic and respected structures of this genre.

Look at what it looks like on the inside – unreal:

The living area is on the first level, the bedroom on the next, and at the top an open-air viewing platform and entertainment deck. The living area includes a kitchen and seating area.

This is how the insane “floating structure” came to be, explains Wanted Online:

The Paarman Family Estate … has spectacular views of the surrounding valley and mountains. It’s arranged along the lines of a modern interpretation of a “Cape Dutch Werf” or traditional Cape farmyard, with a manor house and a number of other buildings scattered among the extensive landscaped gardens.

For some time, businessman Graham Paarman had the idea that he’d like to add a one-bedroomed, tree-house hide-away to the estate’s dwellings. Malan Vorster Architecture Interior Design had worked on various buildings on the property over the years, so Paarman called on the firm to design his tree house.

[Paarman] wanted something small.

According to Ina Paarman’s website, Graham is Ina’s son.

If this tree-house is small, then I want to see what his house looks like.

You can find more images here.

[sources:businessinsidersa & wantedonline]